Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Thursday Dec 12, 2024
Monday, 20 July 2020 00:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Twenty persons tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 2,724 in Sri Lanka with the Kandakadu cluster reaching 561 patients.
The 20 infected persons include four close contacts of the Kandakadu cluster from Kahathuduwa and Palmadulla, as well as 16 recently repatriated individuals. The repatriated persons had returned from Qatar, United Arab Emirates and India.
A total of 107 patients suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms were being monitored by health authorities, the Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry reported. According to the unit, 669 infected patients remain under care. 23 persons had recovered and been discharged from care over the weekend, raising the total number of those who had recovered 2,035.
The Government Medial Officers Association (GMOA) wrote to the Government expressing their concern about the trade union action launched by the Public Health Inspector’s Union of Sri Lanka (PHIUSL) who have withdrawn from COVID-19 control duties, citing lack of legal cover for their work in the election guidelines Gazette published last Friday. Medical officers and provincial council staff have complained that the collection of PCR test samples in the field is affected by the PHI’s withdrawing from duties.
According to the Epidemiology Unit, 669 patients, including two foreign nationals remain under care at 10 specialised hospitals as of last evening. Of the 669 patients under treatment, 70 including two foreign nationals are being treated at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases (NIID).
The Kandakadu treatment centre treats the highest number of patients, with 356 in care, Base Hospital Welikanda treats 84 with the Kattankudy Base Hospital and the Army Hospital in Panagoda each treating 36 and 62 COVID-19 patients respectively.
A total of 219 persons were released from quarantine on Saturday after they tested negative for PCR tests and completed the mandated quarantine program, the Sri Lanka Air Force said. A total of 6,711 persons remain in quarantine in 56 centres managed by the military.
A total of 23,286 persons have completed the quarantine program and returned home from centres across the island thus far the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPC) said on Saturday. According to the Navy, the 902 sailors from the Welisara Navy camp cluster have recovered and been discharged from care, three infected sailors remain under treatment.
